Heuchera plant named ‘Maroon Blush’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Heuchera  plant named ‘Maroon Blush’, characterized by its medium rosy-tan colored mature foliage having prominent brown venation and a silvery appearance, white-pink colored flowers, and moderately vigorous, mounded growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Heuchera×hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Maroon Blush’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Heucheraplant botanically known as Heuchera×hybrida and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name ‘Maroon Blush’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Elbum,Ill. during May 2009. The objective of the breeding program was thedevelopment of Heuchera cultivars with improved vigor and vivid foliagecoloration.

The new Heuchera cultivar is the result of open-pollination. The female(seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Heuchera×hybridabreeding selection designated 227m-4, not patented, characterized by itswhite-colored flowers, light rosy-tan colored foliage, and moderatelyvigorous, mounded growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the newcultivar is unknown. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as asingle flowering plant within the progeny of the above statedopen-pollination during April 2010 in a controlled environment inElburn, Ill.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by in vitro propagation sinceApril 2010 in West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivarreproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as hereindescribed, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations ofsuch asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Maroon Blush’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Heuchera plant:

-   -   1. Medium rosy-tan colored mature foliage having prominent brown        venation and a silvery appearance;    -   2. White-pink colored flowers; and    -   3. Moderately vigorous, mounded growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parentprimarily in intensity of foliage color.

Of the many commercially available Heuchera cultivars, the most similarin comparison to the new cultivar is the cultivar ‘Peach Flambe’, U.S.Plant Pat. No. 17,195. However, in side by side comparisons, plants ofthe new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Peach Flambe’ in at least thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have darker-colored foliage        venation than plants of ‘Peach Flambe’; and    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have foliage with a silver        appearance unlike foliage of plants of ‘Peach Flambe’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Maroon Blush’.The plant was grown in a 10 cm pot for approximately 4 months and thenfinished in a 19 cm container for approximately 2 months in a greenhouselocated in Hillegom, The Netherlands.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Maroon Blush’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of‘Maroon Blush’.

FIG. 3 illustrates a close-up view of the foliage of ‘Maroon Blush’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2007 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined in May 2011 under naturallight conditions in Hillegom, The Netherlands.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants producedfrom in vitro propagated plants in a 10 cm pot for approximately 4months and then finished in a 19 cm container for approximately 2 monthsin a plastic-covered greenhouse located in Hillegom, The Netherlands.The plants were grown under conditions comparable to those used incommercial practice having for the last 2 months average daytemperatures of 14° C. to 27° C. and average night temperatures of 6° C.to 18° C.

-   Botanical classification: Heuchera×hybrida cultivar Maroon Blush.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—227m-4, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Unknown.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—In vitro propagation is preferred, divisions are            possible.        -   Time to initiate roots in vitro.—Approximately 10 days at            20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots in greenhouse.—Approximately 20 days            at 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plantlet in summer.—Approximately            42 days.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white to ivory in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 20 weeks from a rooted            tissue culture plantlet to finish in a 10 cm container.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Clump-forming            herbaceous perennial, mounded foliage.        -   Growth rate.—Moderately vigorous, flowering stems grow            approximately 20 cm per month in spring.        -   Outdoor plant performance.—Use as bedding plants or in            mixed-container plantings; at least tolerant to temperatures            up to 35° C. and hardy to USDA zone 3.        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 56.5 cm. Height from soil level to top of            foliage: Approximately 13.5 cm. Width: Approximately 39.8            cm.        -   Branching habit.—No branching, basal rosette. Number of            basal rosettes per plant: Approximately 1.-   Foliage description:    -   -   General description.—Moderately durable to environmental            stresses. Quantity of leaves per rosette: Approximately 33.            Fragrance: None. Form: Simple. Arrangement: Alternate.        -   Leaves.—Aspect: Blade is nearly perpendicular to petiole.            Shape: Orbicular. Margin: Crenate with an average of 9 lobes            per leaf. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Hastate, moderately            overlapping. Venation pattern: Laciniate. Length of mature            leaf: Approximately 9.6 cm. Width of mature leaf:            Approximately 9.3 cm. Texture of upper surface: Dull;            slightly rough. Texture of lower surface: Slightly glossy,            slightly rough. Color of upper surface of young, early            Spring-like foliage: 178B with venation of 178A. Color of            lower surface of young, early Spring-like foliage: 185B with            venation of 186A. Color of upper surface of mature foliage:            177D with a heavy overlay of 182B to 182C giving a silvery            appearance to the upper surface; venation of 152B to 152C            with area that surrounds venation of 200B to 200C. Color of            lower surface of mature foliage: 187B to 187C with venation            of 186B.        -   Stipules.—Two leafy stipules located at the base of each            leaf. Apex: Narrow acute. Length: Approximately 6.0 mm.            Width: Approximately 3.0 mm. Color: 71A.        -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 8.0 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 178A.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Maroon Blush’ flowers once a year during            late spring to midsummer under outdoor conditions.        -   Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately            7 days.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Compound spike emerging from the            base of the rosette with typically one petiolate cauline            leaf. Fragrance: None. Length or height excluding the            peduncle: Approximately 21.8 cm. Width: Approximately            7.5 cm. Quantity of inflorescences per plant:            Approximately 4. Quantity of fully-opened flowers per            inflorescence: Approximately 45. Quantity of flower buds per            inflorescence: Approximately 155.        -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong to moderate. Aspect:            Approximately 55° angle from base. Length: Approximately            34.4 cm. Diameter at midpoint: Approximately 3.5 mm.            Texture: Moderately pubescent with short glandular hairs of            approximately 0.5 mm in length, colored 166A with 197D.            Color: Base of 166A with 197A to 197B transitioning to 183A            nearest the flowers.-   Flower description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Single, self-cleaning. Aspect:            Drooping to slightly outward.        -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 3 days for bud to            progress from first color to fully open flower.        -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Broadly elliptic. Length:            Approximately 5.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm. Color:            N155C with base of 181B and tip of 179B.        -   Corolla.—Shape: Campanulate. Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm.            Depth: Approximately 8.0 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity: 5. Arrangement: Rotate. Shape: Narrowly            elliptic. Appearance: Dull. Margin: Entire. Apex: Narrow            acute. Base: Lower 3.0 mm fused into hypanthium. Length:            Approximately 6.0 mm. Width: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture            of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper and            lower surface when first open: 155A with base and tip of            173C to 173D. Color of upper and lower surfaces when fully            open: 155A with base and tip of 173C to 173D, color fades to            173B with 184C to 184D.        -   Calyx.—Shape: Cup. Length: Approximately 2.5 mm. Diameter:            Approximately 2.5 mm.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5. Shape: Elliptic. Appearance:            Dull. Margin of free portion: Entire. Apex: Broadly acute.            Base: Lower half fused into hypanthium. Length:            Approximately 2.5 mm. Width at rim of hypanthium:            Approximately 0.6 mm. Texture: Moderately pubescent with            very short glandular hairs. Length of pubescence:            Approximately 0.1 mm. Color of pubescence: Closest to 184C            to 184D. Color of upper and lower surfaces of sepals: 184C.        -   Pedicel.—Strength: Moderate. Aspect: The pedicel of the            central flower of each spikelet is directly on top of the            secondary pedicel, pedicels of secondary and tertiary            flowers of each spikelet have an average 60° angle from            vertical. Length of primary pedicels: Approximately 2.2 mm.            Length of secondary pedicels: Approximately 2.0 mm. Diameter            of primary pedicels: Approximately 0.7 mm. Diameter of            secondary pedicels: Approximately 0.3 mm. Texture of all            pedicels: Glabrous. Color of all pedicels: 183A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity: 5 per flower.            Anther shape: Ovate. Anther length: Approximately 0.5 mm.            Anther color: 172A. Filament length: Approximately 4.0 mm.            Filament color: N155B to N155C. Pollen amount: Moderate.            Pollen color: 25A to 25B. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 2 per            flower. Pistil length: Approximately 5.0 mm. Stigma shape:            Pointed. Stigma color: N155B to N155C. Style length:            Approximately 3.5 mm. Style color: N155B to N155C. Ovary            color: 160B.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Heuchera has not been observed.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Heuchera plant named ‘Maroon Blush’,substantially as herein shown and described.